Description

One of the pinnacles of Hong Kong cinema’s 1990s golden age, the Once Upon a Time in China series set a new standard for martial-arts spectacle and launched action star Jet Li to international fame. It brings to vivid life the colorful world of China in the late nineteenth century, an era of immense cultural and technological change, as Western imperialism clashed with tradition and public order was upended by the threats of foreign espionage and rising nationalism. Against this turbulent backdrop, one man—the real-life martial-arts master, physician, and folk hero Wong Fei-hung—emerges as a noble protector of Chinese values as the country hurtles toward modernity. Conceived by Hong Kong New Wave leader Tsui Hark, this epic cycle is not only a dazzling showcase for some of the most astonishing action set pieces ever committed to film but also a rousing celebration of Chinese identity, history, and culture.

Special Feature

• 4K digital restorations of Once Upon a Time in China and Once Upon a Time in China II and III, and new 2K digital restorations of Once Upon a Time in China IV and V, all presented with their original Cantonese theatrical-release sound mixes in uncompressed monaural or stereo
• Alternate stereo Cantonese soundtracks for Once Upon a Time in China and Once Upon a Time in China II, featuring the original theatrical sound effects, and monaural Cantonese soundtrack for Once Upon a Time in China III
• Once Upon a Time in China and America (1997) in a 2K digital transfer, featuring 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio and monaural Cantonese soundtracks, along with a stereo Mandarin track with the voice of actor Jet Li
• New interviews with director Tsui Hark, Film Workshop cofounder Nansun Shi, editor Marco Mak, and critic Tony Rayns
• Excerpts from audio interviews with Li conducted in 2004 and ’05
• Deleted scenes from Once Upon a Time in China III
• Documentary from 2004 about the real-life martial-arts hero Wong Fei-hung
• From Spikes to Spindles, a 1976 documentary about New York City’s Chinatown featuring uncredited work by Tsui
• Excerpts from a 2019 master class given by martial-arts choreographer Yuen Wo-ping
• Archival interviews featuring Tsui and actors John Wakefield, Donnie Yen, and Yen Shi-kwan
• Behind-the-scenes footage for Once Upon a Time in China and Once Upon a Time in China and America
• Making-of program from 1997 on Once Upon a Time in China and America
• Trailers
• New English subtitle translations
• PLUS: An essay on the films by critic Maggie Lee and an essay on the cinematic depictions of Wong by novelist Grady Hendrix
• New Cover by Jung Shan